Disciples

Disciples is turn based fantasy strategy game franchise, split (so far) into 3 different games, starting from "Disciples: The Sacred Lands" (released in 1999, terribly archaic even then), then in 2002 "Disciples II: The Dark Prophecy" with "Guardians of light" and "Servants of Darkness" add-ons (often referred together as "Return of Gallean", because they share storyline and events), later supported by another addon, "Rise of The Elves". Then, after couple of years in 2009, part 3, named "Disciples 3: Renaissance" was finally released.

Gameplay

Gameplay focuses around small, max 5 unit parties (starts out as 3 units), lead by a Hero, who do most of game's important job - capture or conquer cities (as cities, including the capital, terraform terrain into one that characterizes your race, and only resources lying on own terrain can be harvested and stockpiled) and fighting other parties, be them neutral AI or ones that are controlled controlled by other players.

By winning in old-school JRPG (Japanese Role Playing) style battles, both the Hero that leads the party, and his loyal party members, gain experience that allows them to level up, advancing to higher tier, more powerful units. While there are only 5 basic units per nation (Fighter, Archer, Mage, Support and Special), every one of them have at least 2 advances, while some have much more (even branching at certain points). These advances can be gained only when you build a proper building in your capital. Once build, you can't even demolish it and other alternate paths are locked for good, so choose wisely. Once a unit gathers sufficiently enough experience (and you build the proper buildings), it transforms into a much more powerful being (sometimes the looks are completely radical), gaining sometimes in the process new abilities.

Heroes that lead your parties don't transform, but in return of levelling up, they gain the options of choosing new abilities (like the use of certain artefacts and magical equipment) or upgrading their current capabilities (extra party slots, extra movement, bonuses to combat capabilities).

The only difference in gameplay (dominantly in combat) is Disciples 3 that gained a lot of flak for turning from a JRPG-esque combat style into one that blatantly copies Heroes of Might and Magic (with the addition of points on the map that can empower specific unit types), while terraforming Heroes were kicked out, replaced with Guardian Nodes that do a similar job and get more powerful with each turn (the most powerful ones can do terrifying damage to a party, so don't go after one unless you have a sufficiently experienced party).

The Heroes also changed in terms of capabilities. Now in a more truer RPG-like way they can purchase equipment and wear it like in a actual RPG (and these also offer not only physical changes, but also stat improvements and so on). Additionally there is something of a skill labyrinth/tree/whatever it is that one can access even if they didn't get enough experience in order to advance. When you level up, you gain points that you use to purchase boxes until you purchased enough of them and in the right direction until you unlocked those abilities you wanted (even personal spells that the Hero can use).

In short: Despite getting a lot of critique for the combat, Disciples 3 made Hero customization and development richer.

Races

Available races are :

• The Empire - based on The Byzantine Empire with beliefs somewhat similar to a darkened version of catholicism. Imperial units generally have the lowest HP pools of all units in the game, but make that up by having Support units with the ability to heal their troops in the middle of the combat (with the Hierophant having the ability to resurrect party members in combat). Outside of them, The Empire boosts surprisingly capable Fighter units (Defenders of Faith, Holy Avengers, Angels and Grand Inquisitors being really something), and meh, but competent Archers and Mages (Assassins and White Wizards are a must), making them possibly the most user friendly race in the game. The Empire's special unit is The Titan. A giant female that can deal serious damage and has quite the amount of health.

• Undead Hordes - Risen by ethereal Goddess Mortis to be her tools of vengeance, hordes when played rightly, are very hard to stop. The Undead faction boosts some of the best Fighter units, and very strong Mages. Instead of Archers, they have Ghosts with paralysing attacks (with Specters capable of mass-paralysis), and only their support units are lackluster (though they can deal quite some serious damage). The Undead special unit is the Werewolf that is utterly immune to physical attacks unless you party has units with non-weapon based attacks (like Mages or any unit whose attacks are elemental from the start).

• Legiones of the Damned - they came from the deep. Of earth. Literally. The Legiones are regarded as hardest to master, with multiple large units (eating double amount of your already pretty small party members limit) monsters with tons of damage and HP but needing even more exp to level up. Legion fighters are, despite cool names (Possessed, Berserker, Anti-Paladin, Hellknight), regarded as one the most bland units in the game. Legion archer units are Gargoyles (vanilla Stone, Marble and, the most powerful, Onyx), with relatively small ( for large unit) hp, but huge speed and armour. Legions mages are possibly second only to Undead ones. Their support units are Devils that can be turned into a giant variety of powerful monstrosities. The Legiones' special unit is the Fiend. A competent large melee unit with poisoned attacks.

• The Mountain Clans - aka Dwarfs. With Giants and Yetis. The Clans, as usually in fantasy, perform roles of a heavy tank - they may be slow, but are very hard to kill, sprouting the greatest HP of all other races, have quite the armours, and pack quite the punch, especially Fighters and their Giants (even more especially the Sons of Ymir that are simply broken when buffed). Archers are actually pretty mediocre, but are useful. Their support units boosts damage of other party members, or give them out an additional sequence attack. The Clans' other Support Units (Giants) can be tailored towards massed area damage (Tempest Giants and Elder Ones), or very strong single target attacks (Frost Giants and the aforementioned Sons of Ymir). The Clans' special unit is the Yeti, which packs a powerful freezing breath attack.

• Elven Aliance - introduced in "Rise of The Elves" add-on, the pointy ears are fast and hard-hitting army, though they do come with some durability issues. Their fighting units - Centaurs, are quite competent Fighters (Chargers have armour while Savages hit harder, though are replaced by Elves in Disciples 3), but have the shortest advancement tree. Unsurprisingly, Archers are most diverse, with multiple possible end paths. Elves are the only nation with 4th and 5th level Archer advancements. Elven Mages are weak on the other hand (though Theurgist makes it up with the ability to reduce armour values), possibly even more than the human ones. The Elves' Support units are also Healers, extremely useful ones that in later tiers grant elemental resistances. The Alliance's special unit is the Griffin, which can be further upgraded into the much more powerful Skylord.